1. Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates generally to printed circuit boards, and more particularly to the repair and replacement of components used in printed circuit boards.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electrical components may be electrically connected to each other by conductive paths to form functioning circuits on a circuit board. Such conductive paths may be established using a feedthrough extending through an aperture of the circuit board and which may be secured thereto. The electrical components are positioned in such feedthroughs, which may be electrically conductive, and electrically conductive lands or solidified solder may form the conductive paths between the feedthroughs, thus allowing electric currents to flow between components. The lands and/or solder also serve to secure the electrical components to the circuit board.
Electrically conductive solder may be applied in a liquid state to the contacts of the electrical components placed in the proximity of other electrically conductive elements, such as the feedthroughs, lands, and/or contacts with other electrical components, such that the solidification of the solder forms a secure and electrically conductive path.
An example of the use of solder and lands for printed circuit boards is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,010,448 to Kobari, where a printed circuit board having conductive paths between components is established by lands and solder. Portions of the lands are deleted to form holes or notches for reducing the amount of solder adhering to the lands and for preventing solder bridges between adjacent lands from forming.
The feedthroughs may be secured using known methods and apparatus such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,545,119 to Tanazawa, where a feedthrough is positioned in an aperture of the printed circuit board and then formed to be secured to the printed circuit board.
As shown in FIG. 1, a flat pad 2 is shown having a central aperture, which is used, as shown in FIG. 2, with a circuit board 4 and a feedthrough 6 having inner walls 8. After being positioned, the original pad 2 may be secured to the feedthrough 6 by solder, adhesive, or the like. However, such securing of the original pad 2 may be deficient, and so the original pad 2 may come loose from the feedthrough 6 by, for example, heat and/or pressure such as an iron applied to the circuit board 4. It would be beneficial to replace the original pad 6 with a replacement pad that is more securely positioned to the feedthrough 6 and/or land.